‘Absolutely not the f**king case’: SU president calls out her officer and calls LUSU ‘sh*t’

Lancaster University Students’ Union president has claimed that the Union is “shit” following a disagreement with her education officer regarding the UCU strikes.

Speaking at the Lancaster UCU picket lines yesterday (November 24th), president India Ellis gave a speech in support of the striking university lecturers where she referenced an Instagram post made by VP Education, Noah Katz, regarding the strikes.

The post in question was cross-posted on both the LUSU Instagram page and the LUSU VP Education page, and urged students to “speak to [their] department, speak with [their] academic reps,” and “keep records” if they feel strikes have affected them and their studies.

In a now-deleted slide from the same post, students were told they could pursue “further action” if they “remain dissatisfied” by submitting a formal complaint to the University.

Now-deleted slide @lancastersu

In her speech, India claimed that she was not aware the post was going to be uploaded, saying: “It’s kind of difficult for me to stand here after I was sat in a meeting yesterday and unbeknownst to me my communications team and VP for Education put a post up basically putting the onus on lecturers for these strikes.

“I can stand here as your Students’ Union president and say that is absolutely fucking not the fucking case. I am so, so livid that the hard work I’ve been doing, the reaching out to the UCU has been completely undermined. Everything that I believe and that I stand for.

@LancasterUCU

“Everything I’ve done as your Students’ Union president has been completely undermined. I am so pleased to see so many students here and can we fucking give it up for the students because you know what, we’ve said it a million times before – teaching conditions are our learning conditions.

“This fight is for all of us, we absolutely all should be down here on the picket line. Honestly, keep fighting the good fight. I’m going to be down here today, down here tomorrow. I’m going to be down here on Wednesday.

“Believe you me, I’m here because I care, I’m here because I believe in this fight and I’m here because students absolutely should believe in it too. Thank you so much for having me. Really sorry that LUSU is shit. I’m trying to make it better.”

India Ellis, Noah Katz and Lancaster SU have been approached for comment.

In a statement on their Instagram, Noah Katz said:  “A full statement from your officer team will be out later this afternoon.”

Latest development in this story

This morning, VP Education, Noah Katz, apologised to UCU lecturers and their supporters at the picket lines this morning. They said: “I unequivocally stand here with you, with the UCU” and: “We are here for you and we are here with the UCU and we are calling on the university to meet the demands.”

Their full statement can be found here.

Related articles recommended by this writer:

• ‘They are using their platform to undermine one another’: Ex SU officer wages into controversy
• ‘I’m sorry we f**ked up’: SU officer makes public apology pledging support for strikers
• ‘We don’t like to strike’: We went to the picket lines to ask lecturers about the strikes